by Dee, Bonnie
Carr suspected the old man of playing possum. While the man’s voice did not work on them, it would work on his followers. He was ready to knock the old man out again if need be.
Mark’s urgent and hushed voice came over the com devices. “Trouble between you and me. Four heavily armed Destroyers just entered the back way into the house. I’m betting they are coming your way. Egress through the basement tunnel into the woods looks like a no go.”
He visualized the hallway outside the den and agreed; there were too many places to get trapped. Plus, he and Donovan had burdens to carry. Although he would be happy to throw Brody in front of a bunch of bullets, he would not endanger Lily. “What about the French doors onto the terrace? Is that way clear?”
Mark’s voice. “I’m checking on it now.” Carr could hear Mark’s heavy breathing as he hurried to find them another way out. “Okay, only one guy on the doors to the terrace. When you’re ready to leave, let me know. We can come at him from both sides.”
Carr answered, “Roger that.” He reached for his gun and held Lily to his chest with one arm.
“Let me down, Carr. I can walk.” She’d followed his thought processes and the conversation with Mark.
“You sure?” He looked at her. Determination was on her face. “Okay. Stay behind with Donovan. Once Mark and I get rid of the guard, I’ll carry you. We’ll be running flat out for the woods.”
They couldn’t make it to Brody’s airfield now without being seen. The four guards in the house indicated somehow the security force knew something was going on. The fact that the armed men had not rushed the den yet was a miracle.
Lily smiled. “Fine.”
Her face said fine, but her nerves were fluttering so hard he was surprised she had not created a breeze in the house. He brushed a kiss across her forehead. “We’ll make it.”
“I have no doubts.”
And she didn’t. She was more worried about him being hurt than them getting away.
Carr put Lily down and held onto her until she stopped swaying. “Here,” he said, leading her a few steps to the side of the French doors and out of sight of the outside, “hold onto this chair back. Don’t move.”
Lily gripped the back of the chair. She whispered, “I’m fine.”
After checking to see Donovan was close enough to Lily to protect her from any entrance through the main door into the room, he moved to the French doors and looked out. The guard’s back was to him—and there was still only one man. He spoke in a low tone into his ear com. “In position, Mark. How do you want to handle this?”
Mark replied. “Open the door into his back. When he turns to meet the threat, I’ll take him out.”
“Works for me. On the count of three. One. Two…”
At three, he shoved the door hard into the man’s back, knocking him forward. Mark sped from the bushes and hit the guy on the head as he went down. The man still moved so Mark hit him again with a karate chop to the back of the neck. The man lay, unmoving. Mark took the man’s gun and dragged the body into the shrubbery.
Carr whipped some plexi-cuffs from his belt and tossed them to Mark, who cuffed the man’s hands behind him, gagging him with a piece of the man’s shirt he cut off with his knife.
“Watch for more.” Carr turned to signal Donovan and Lily forward. He met Lily before she even crossed the threshold and swept her into his arms.
“Where are the others?” asked Donovan with Brody over his shoulder.
“They’re with Trent at the wood’s edge.” Mark led the way, using all the cover available. “We only have one wide-open spot to cross. Autumn and Trent are waiting to create a distraction if we need it.”
“What kind?” asked Donovan, not even breathless from carrying Brody’s dead weight.
“A white tornado.” Mark laughed. “She’s going to put two of them between us and the house once we’re at the open ground we have to cross. The cyclonic winds will keep the guards away, blow dust in their eyes, and keep any air support on the ground.”
“Sounds like a good plan.” Carr glanced at Lily, lying so still in his arms. Suffering quietly so as not to distract them. “Soon, Lily. We’ll take care of those wounds and the pain.”
“It’s not that bad.” She was lying again. She continued to talk, attempting to distract him from worrying about her. As if. “Isn’t Autumn amazing? Her power is always available. There’s always air to move. I need a fault or ley line. I tried to find one … to stop him … but…”
“Ssh, baby. You did good. You are so brave.” He kissed her nose, her cheeks, her brows, finally, her lips, where he lingered, tracing them with his tongue gently. “You’re amazing. You saved the United States from two major seismic disasters. For that alone the Terrans will deify you.”
Tears streamed down Lily’s face. He kissed them away as fast as they fell. His heart broke at all the emotions running riot in her mind. “I screamed. He wanted to hear me scream and I did. I hate that I gave him the satisfaction.”
“My brave woman.” He kissed her forehead. “He’ll pay for it, baby. I promise. He’ll pay.”
“We’re approaching the clearing.” Mark’s voice rumbled over the com devices, alerting Autumn and the others.
Paying more attention to Lily than to his surroundings, Donovan had to signal a halt by grabbing at Carr’s belt. Standing with Mark, they waited for Autumn to do her thing.
*
Darcy tried to get to the den, but he’d found four armed guards standing in front of it. Even with his Protector strength, he could not get past them. He’d have to backtrack and get his mother to safety, then figure out a way to save Lily.
He retraced his steps and went up to where his mother had been locked up. The door was wide open. “Mother!” He raced into the room and found it empty. To be sure Brody hadn’t ordered her moved, he checked all the other rooms, which oddly enough were all unlocked and wide open.
Something wasn’t right here.
He rapidly descended the back stairwell that led to the laundry room and the back of the house. He headed to the back entrance.
When he exited the house, he saw Mark Winbolt slip around the side of the house, heading in the direction of the terrace outside the den.
“Damn it, somehow Madoc and crew got here faster than I thought.”
He scanned the area and sensed, then saw a flash of movement in the woods about seven hundred yards away. His excellent sight, courtesy of his Protector genes, showed him his mother, Brenna Callahan, another woman and a man he did not know, hiding. They were waiting on Mark—and obviously Madoc and Callahan, who must be rescuing Lily.
They had done the work for him. Now all he had to do was reap what they had sowed.
He followed Winbolt. He slid along the perimeter of the house. He was careful not to make any noise. Winbolt would be on high alert—and would shoot at anything making a noise.
He just caught sight of the den when Winbolt rushed forward to hit a man wearing the uniform of one of Brody’s guards. Madoc came out of the house and covered the human who hid the guard.
His nemesis turned and gathered Lily into his arms. Hell, she looked bad. Brody had hurt her. The bastard. He hoped Madoc had killed him.
Donovan followed with Brody very much alive flung over his shoulder. The group headed in the direction of the party waiting in the woods.
Darcy smiled and trailed the others, watching, plotting, for the time to steal Lily, grab his mother and leave. The jet that had brought him to New York was still on the runway and could easily get them to Canada without being refueled.
*
Mark’s voice. “Autumn, do your thing.”
Trent circled her shoulders with his arms. “I’m here, baby. Take whatever energy you need.”
She nodded. “Here it comes.” A warning to the group crossing the field. Her tone was strong, almost joyful. Where there’d been nothing before, there were now two massive white tornadoes. The strong cyclonic winds sucked grass and dir
t into them, rapidly turning the twin twisters taupe in color.
“Autumn, sweetheart, move the funnels to the east a bit, more toward the house,” he whispered in her ear. “They’re too close to our people.”
“Okay, guys.” Autumn’s voice was fierce with concentration. “Fine-tuning here. This looks a lot easier than it is, lover boy.”
He laughed, hugging her. “I’m sure. I’m feeding you my energy—is it helping?”
“Oh, hell yeah. It’s … it’s orgasmic!” Autumn’s laugh was like tinkling bells in the wind.
“Hold that thought for later, baby. Oh yeah, they’re in perfect position. Carr, you guys are good. You have cover between you and anyone coming from the house or the airfield.”
“I see them now,” Autumn said.
He followed her line of sight. Mark was in the lead, with Carr carrying Lily. Donovan followed, still lugging Brody. No, wait a minute. There was someone else.
“Donovan! Bogey on your six,” he shouted over the com. “Autumn, can you take out the man following the others? Isolate him?”
“Yes, I think so.” She turned and looked at him, her teeth worrying her lower lip. “But it might suck him up into the vortex. What if he’s not a guard?”
Trent could tell she was worried about killing the man. “Donovan! Can you ID the guy?”
Seconds passed and the man got closer to their people.
Donovan’s voice. “It’s Darcy Miller.”
“What should I do?” Autumn asked.
“It’s your call, Carr,” Trent said. “Autumn can isolate him, but the power of the vortex might suck him into it.”
“Let the bastard come.” Carr’s voice held a note of weary disgust. “Just be ready to cuff him.”
“Got it.” Trent extracted some plexi-cuffs from his belt and held his gun at the ready in the other. “Just keep the winds between our people and the house and airfield, baby.”
“Okay.” She leaned heavily against him. “Feed me some more energy. I’m getting kind of tired here.”
“Hurry up, guys,” Trent called out. “Autumn needs to rest for a while.” They watched as Carr and the others approached. “Shit! Donovan, get down. Miller’s got a gun.”
Trent shoved Autumn into the woods. “Go take Brenna and the old lady to the wall.” He shoved her in the direction of the deep woods where the other two women had retreated when Autumn had begun to do her thing.
“The tornadoes will die down.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” he snarled. “Just get out of here. Go.” Not looking to see if she obeyed him or not, he moved out of the cover of the woods to help the others fight off Darcy Miller.
When Trent reached the group, a dazed Donovan was on the ground, pinned under the body of Brody who, while conscious, was still bound hand and foot.
Mark had moved back to engage Miller in hand-to-hand combat. The human was plucky and well-trained, but no match for Miller’s Protector strength.
Carr still held Lily. “Help Donovan, Trent. He can take Miller. I can’t leave Lily. Miller is after her.”
Trent nodded. He hauled Brody off Donovan and tossed the old man to the side. Donovan struggled to his feet and nodded his thanks, then went to help Mark. When Trent turned to see if Carr had taken Lily to the protection of the woods, the wind began to rise once more, buffeting all their bodies with its angry strength.
His gaze found Autumn. She’d disobeyed him and followed him into the open. She maintained one powerful tornado, still hiding them from Brody’s mercenaries and guards. She was so getting a spanking for that bit of disobedience. He’d make sure they both enjoyed it. “Hand on butt, baby. Hand on butt,” he yelled at her over the loud noise of the powerful winds.
She laughed and shot him a cheeky grin “Sounds like fun. Now move your so-fine ass, lover. I would hate for you to get caught in the updraft.”
Trent moved to her side. Donovan and Mark had Miller contained between them. Brody still lay on the ground, helpless in his bindings. Carrying Lily, Carr joined them. “I say we need to get into the woods and the hell out of here before someone decides to challenge the tornado or Autumn gets too weak to maintain it.”
Just as Trent was about to move to help the others with the prisoners, Brody sat up. Somehow, he had gotten his ankles free. He ran toward Donovan and Mark, headbutting them, knocking Miller loose. While the two men tried to contain the old Destroyer, Miller ran for the four of them. His wild gaze fixed on Lily.
“I’ll take care of him, Carr,” Trent said. “Get Lily the hell out of here.”
As Miller neared them, Carr took off with Lily held tightly in his arms and Trent moved to intercept Miller.
By this time, Brody chased after Miller, having gotten away from the others. The old fucker shouted, his face livid with rage and insanity. “Trent. Autumn. You’re dead. Both of you.”
“Autumn, get the hell out of here. Go with Carr.” Trent shoved her in the direction Carr had gone, placing his body between her and the two charging men.
“Like hell I will.” She stepped to his side. “Hold onto me, Trent. Feed me your strength. This is going to be interesting.” She shouted across the com, “Mark. Donovan. Stay back. I’ve got this.”
The other two men veered off and headed away at an angle, taking a longer way to the woods, but one that would take them out of the path of anything his woman would pull out of the skies.
Raising her arms, Autumn gestured the tornado toward the approaching men. Making adjustments only she understood with her hands and fingers, she directed the raging winds to hover over the two Destroyers.
As she lowered the funnel onto them, she yelled, “Fuck you, Algernon. Miller, this is for Lily.” She dropped her hands to her side and the funnel cloud sucked the two men into its core. With a wide sweep of one arm, she sent the tornado chasing across the field to the east.
Donovan and Mark circled back to join them.
“Where will it stop?” Mark asked, his astonished gaze following the tornado moving farther and farther east.
“Who the hell cares?” Autumn said. Her body shook with exhaustion.
He caught her as her legs gave way, sweeping her into his arms and holding her close to his heart. “You okay, Autumn?” He rubbed his cheek against her hair.
She smiled. “I’m fine. Better than. Just tired.”
Donovan looked toward the house. “No signs of pursuit, but I still think we need to get our asses out of here.”
“I agree.” Trent turned toward the woods. Carr stood there with Lily still in his arms. Brenna and Molly Miller had joined them. “Holy shit.”
Autumn followed his stare. “Oh, Trent, did his mother see what I did?”
Carr’s voice over the com. “No.”
Trent felt Autumn’s sigh of relief against his neck. “Good,” she said. “He may have been a bad ass, but he was still her son—and he loved her.”
“We’ll let her think he took out Brody for her,” Donovan said.
“That would be nice,” Autumn said with a yawn. “I’m going to sleep now. Okay?”
“Okay, baby. I’ve got you.” Trent snuggled her even closer.
*
Exhaustion settled over them all as Carr led them swiftly through the woods to an unguarded gate and then to the Hummers they’d used to drive to the estate. For now they were safe, but with Earth out of balance who knew what would happen in the next hour. The next day. The next week.
Brody had done a lot of damage. The Spirit, Earth and Air Talisman would still have work to do. Fire and Water Talisman needed to appear before the prophecy was fulfilled. Would it be the end of Earth? Or would the five Talisman be able to restore balance once more? Carr volleyed the questions around his mind like a tennis ball.
“We’ll win, Carr.” Lily stroked his face with trembling fingers.
“I hope so, Lily, because I just found you and want to spend many, many years loving you.”
She snuggled into his embrace. “That
sounds like a plan I can live with.”
The End
About the Author
Rae Morgan is the pen name for a multi-published author of suspense/thrillers. She's been married to the love of her life for far longer than she cares to remember. Her home is in Central Indiana.
Visit Rae's website at: http://raemorgan.com/
Table of Contents
Terran Realm Vol 1
Foreword
Redemption
Blurb
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
About the Author
Measure of a Man
Blurb
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
About the Author
Fruits of Betrayal
Blurb
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
About the Author
The Shimmering Flame
Blurb
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven