by Lauren Dawes
“When did he tell you about this?”
She watched him as he began to pace. “He called me this morning and told me they changed their flight. They got into LAX late last night.” She frowned. “I thought you knew…”
“I didn’t.” His hands flexed into fists at his sides. “Did he say what the meeting was supposed to be about?”
Neve shrugged. “All he said was that a meeting had been called—all the Leos were in attendance.”
“When was it supposed to start?”
“Nine o’clock.”
He looked at his watch. “That was over six hours ago.”
“I know.”
There was a tap on the wall, and Drake turned. Neve peered around him to find Grayson standing there.
“Get everyone in here,” Drake barked.
“You’ve got it,” he replied, disappearing like smoke. A tense silence filled the room as they waited, Neve unwilling to break it. Drake continued to pace, doing nothing to reduce the suffocating veil settling over them both. Only a few minutes passed before the rest of the Revenant filed in, all except for Jett. He was MIA, but nobody seemed surprised.
Sasha walked over to the window that overlooked one of her gardens and pushed the drapes out of the way to give herself an unimpeded view. Mateo sat beside Neve on the couch, despite there being a multitude of other seats to take. He even slung his arm casually over the back of the cushion behind her until Drake growled at him in warning. With a blithe smile, he stood up and settled against the opposite wall instead.
Grayson stood at ease by the entrance, and she got the distinct impression that he was the glue that held the team together. Drake, despite being the leader, was often prone to anger, but was tempered by considered and deliberate decisions. Jett seemed too distracted. Mateo, on the other hand, was too flippant about a lot of things to take anything too seriously, although he did have that bad-boy vibe about him too. And Sasha…well, Neve hadn’t made her mind up about Sasha yet. There was something incredibly sad about the female.
“What’s happened now?” Mateo asked.
Drake ran his hands through his hair. “We’ve been fucked over by the Trinity.”
“You say that like you’re surprised.”
“Shut the fuck up, Mateo,” Grayson growled, and Mateo made a theatrical gesture of zipping his lips shut.
Drake let out a sigh, but kept his head bowed. “Neve, can you tell us everything you just told me?”
She swallowed and met everyone’s eyes. “My father called this morning and said he wasn’t in New York as planned. He was in California at the Yellow Eye Leo’s house as his guest.” Her stomach churned suddenly, and she pressed a palm just above her navel. “He also said that another meeting had been called—a meeting that started at nine this morning. I’ve been expecting a call from him to let me know how it went. I haven’t received it yet.”
“Could he have forgotten?” Grayson asked softly.
Neve turned her head to look at him. “No. If my father says he’s going to do something, he does it.”
“Have you tried to call him?” This question was from Drake, who was staring at her with his cat’s eyes. She shook her head slowly. “Do it now, and put it on speaker.”
With a shaking hand, she reached down and hit number two on her speed dial. It rang twice before it went to voicemail.
“Try it again.”
She did, squeezing her eyes shut when it didn’t even ring this time, a tinny automated woman saying the call couldn’t be connected.
“What about your mother’s number?”
With shaking hands, she pressed number three and put the call on speaker.
“I’m sorry, but the person you’re trying to call is unavailable…” Neve ended the call and looked up, the need to act like a fire burning through her blood.
“I need to go there,” she announced to nobody in particular. “Something’s wrong. Something’s happened—I can feel it.”
Everyone turned toward Drake—waiting for his orders. His face was dark, his expression unreadable. “Drake…” Her voice broke. She wasn’t above begging if it meant it kept her parents safe.
“No,” he said so softly, she doubted she would’ve known he’d spoken unless she was looking at him.
“What?”
He turned his yellow eyes on her, the muscle in his jaw jumping as he bit out, “You’re not going.”
Anger made her blood ignite, and she felt her lips peel back from her teeth, exposing her canines. “If you’re too afraid to go, I will.”
She went to brush past him, but his hand shot out and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her to an abrupt stop. His anger at her statement brushed against her consciousness, but that was not what gave her pause—it was his terror.
A few tense moments passed before he slowly released his fingers from her arm, and she hugged herself. Making demands of him in front of his Shadows was not going to get her anywhere.
“Come with me,” she said under her breath, walking from the room. She felt everyone’s eyes on her, but she tipped up her chin and kept walking. Drake followed like a shadow at her back, finally pushing through the kitchen after her. Leaning against the countertop, she folded her arms then let them drop to her sides. Being defensive was not a great place to start.
“What’s going on?” she asked softly.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what’s going on—with me, with you. I’ve been feeling…”
“What?” he croaked when she hesitated.
She fixed her eyes on his. “I can feel you—your emotions.”
He visibly stiffened. “When did this start?” he asked.
He didn’t even blink at her statement.
She moved slowly, giving herself time to think, to wonder why he seemed to already know, as she pulled out one of the under-counter stools and sat down. “I’m not sure, but it’s getting stronger.”
He looked away, staring down at his feet. “You felt my fear just now.”
“Yes.”
“Then you understand why I can’t let you go.”
She sucked in a breath through her mouth and let it out, ready to defend her choices, when Sasha pushed through the door. The other female ignored her, her silver gaze on Drake. It felt like the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees, and Neve fought not to shiver.
“Not now, Sash,” Drake growled.
She took his arm and spun him around. “Trust in the unbreakable, even when you fear it will shatter. You must go to California and you must take her,” she gestured to Neve, “with you.”
Drake became incredibly still as he digested the statement. “Have you seen this?” he breathed. He gripped her shoulders, fingers digging in. “Tell me, damnit.”
Her gray irises rolled like they were molten. “She will not shatter, Drake, but without her, you might.”
31
She will not shatter, Drake.
Drake scrubbed his face as Sasha left. The very idea that he would willingly take Neve into what would undoubtedly be a very dangerous situation made him break out in a cold sweat. She was his strength and his weakness all rolled up into one. Yet even as fear gripped his heart, he knew that to live without her and not touch her would surely kill him, too. She was his arnasa.
“Pack a bag,” he croaked. “I need to go and speak to the others.” He pressed against the kitchen door to leave, but paused, letting out a shuddering breath. “Can you feel what I’m feeling right now?”
“You’re terrified,” she murmured. “But resolved.”
He tensed when she touched his back, right between his shoulder blades and over the skull of the Grim Reaper. “Thank you.”
Slowly, he turned around to face her. “I would do anything for you, Neve…even if it terrifies me.” Leaning down, he kissed her, lingering there when she kissed him back just as fiercely. Breaking away, he touched his fingertips to her cheek. “Pack for a couple of days. Grab the first aid kit beneath you
r sink as well as mine.”
He left her in the kitchen, stalking back into the rec room where his team still waited.
“Orders, boss?” Grayson asked.
“We’re going. Mateo and Sash, you’re coming with us. Grayson, I need you to stick around for damage control. Jett will have to stay to look after his sister and to get his head back in the game. Tell him what’s happening when he gets back.”
“Yes, boss,” Grayson replied.
Turning to Mateo and Sasha, he added, “Get packed. We’re leaving in thirty.”
Returning to his room, he pulled out an overnight bag and shoved some clothes inside. Unlocking his gun safe, he pulled out his SIGs and grabbed the extra clips. His eyes settled on the length of chain he kept in there, and he grabbed that too. He added a few blades to the mix just for good measure, then shut things up.
He changed into a pair of jeans, a black tee, and his duster to cover up the weapons he was carrying. Out on the landing, he found Sasha and Mateo waiting.
“Armed?”
Mateo grinned and pulled back the side of his leather jacket to reveal a holster loaded with twin Berettas. Drake didn’t have to ask if Sash was protected. She preferred to fight with her hands, although she was known to carry a lot of knives on her too. They all turned when Neve came out of her room, her hand wrapped tightly around the handles of her bag.
“Are you ready?”
She gave him a curt nod. He knew better than to offer to take her duffel, so he motioned for Mateo to go down the stairs first. Sasha pulled up the rear behind him and Neve, and when they got to the foyer, Grayson was there to meet them.
He held out his hand to the male. “If we’re gone longer than three days, do not come after us. Do you hear me?”
Grayson nodded stiffly, but the skin around his eyes was tight. He didn’t agree, but he’d follow his orders. “I’ll do what I can to trace these females while you’re gone. Mateo managed to pull some feeds from the school’s security system.”
“Good.”
Outside, Drake led Neve over to his Escalade. “Mateo, take the van in case we need to move injured jaguars.”
Their van was a refitted Mercedes Sprinter panel van, which had a few extra pieces of kit added—blacked-out windows, bullet-proof panels, and a cache of weapons that the military would envy. Mateo stepped in closer. “You think this is body recovery?” he asked in a low voice.
Jesus, he hoped not. “No. I just want to be prepared. Follow behind us. We’re going to push through until we get to California. Text if you need to stop for gas or to change drivers.”
Mateo held out his fist, and Drake pounded it. “Is it wrong that I’m looking forward to potentially whooping ass?”
Drake’s smile was fierce. It had been too long since their last physical fight, and he was looking forward to it too. “Stick to the speed limit. We don’t need the human authorities sniffing around when we have an arsenal in the back of that van.”
He helped Neve into the Escalade, then placed their bags into the back. When he got into the driver’s seat, Neve asked, “You’re not planning on stopping?”
“No,” he replied grimly. He wasn’t surprised that she’d overheard the conversation. He just hoped she didn’t catch his reasoning for taking the van. “We’ll drive through the night.”
Drake pulled on his seat belt, dragging the nylon strap across his body. Such a simple thing—a length of man-made fabric strengthened to reduce the chance of a trip through the windshield. Although it seemed flimsy, it was strong, doing what it had to do to save lives. He wanted Sasha to be right. He wanted the tentative thread of his and Neve’s bond to be the same. After she’d told him she could feel him, his emotions, he realized their mate bond was strengthening. The only thing they’d need to do was complete it now, but that required a blood exchange, and he had no idea how she would react.
His female was headstrong, resistant to anything that bound her to someone else. In order for their mating to work, though, he needed her to need and want him. He needed her to bend to him without breaking her spirit. He rolled through the security check-points and got out onto the highway. Checking his rearview mirror, he made sure Mateo was still with him before he mentally settled into the thirteen-hour drive.
“What does it mean?” Neve asked quietly about an hour into the trip. “Why can I feel what you feel?”
He blew out a breath. He couldn’t avoid answering her question for the next twelve hours, and he didn’t want to lie to her either. She had a right to know, and he had a feeling she’d appreciate having all the facts before she made a decision.
“A mate bond has formed,” he said, glancing at her to gauge her reaction. Her face was impassive, but she was listening. “It’s fragile at the moment, but your ability to feel what I feel is a good sign.”
Neve crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “Can you feel what I’m feeling?”
He smiled slightly. “Not in the way you described. I can decipher the scent of your feelings, but that’s got nothing to do with the bond. That’s something distinctive to Shadows.”
“And other shifters too, right?”
He conceded her statement with a nod. “To a degree. Shadows have been born with stronger senses of smell than the average shifter. It gives us…an edge.”
The night was drawing in around them, and he flipped on the headlights. “There’s something else you probably don’t know about me and the other Shadows.”
“You’re smarter than the av-er-age bear?” she quipped in her best Yogi Bear voice, her mouth quirking up in the corner.
He chuckled. “My team…” He wondered how to tell her. He’d never had to explain this part of his life to anyone before. He hadn’t even known he was different until he’d begun training with the Trinity a decade ago. “We’re Shadows, yes, but we’re called the Revenant because we have extra abilities—abilities the regular Shadows don’t have.”
She turned her body toward him. “How did you get them, these extra abilities?”
He touched the center of his chest. “I was born with them.” She tilted her head to the side, inviting him to continue speaking, and he blew out a breath. He was standing on the precipice of a cliff. Would he fall, or would Neve throw him the rope he needed? “I can read thoughts, get into people’s heads, manipulate memories, and feed them images.”
“What kind of images?”
He shrugged, shifting his hands around the steering wheel. The leather was warm beneath his palm. “It depends on what the situation calls for…”
“The butler,” she said suddenly, her eyes widening in sudden understanding. “The butler at Charles’s place wasn’t going to let us in that night, but he changed his mind.”
“That was me,” he said carefully. Dipping inside someone’s head and thoughts was invasive, and he only ever did it when absolutely necessary. Yes, at the start, he’d done it to Neve, but he soon realized why he couldn’t get much more than blips and flashes. She was immune, and as soon as their mate bond was sealed, she would be completely closed off to him.
She was quiet for a moment, obviously coming to the conclusion he feared the most. “Have you done it to me?”
“Neve—”
She rounded on him, her anger a harsh sting in his nose. “Have you?”
He shook his head. “I can’t get clear images from you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I get flashes from you, and really only when you’re in your cat’s form.”
“You’ve never…manipulated me into thinking something else?”
He knew exactly what she was asking of him. “What you feel for me is real, Neve. I can’t change emotions, all I can change is memories and read thoughts. If they’re tied to strong emotions like hate or love, it becomes harder to change them. Once our mate bond has been sealed, my abilities will intensify and a few extra abilities will evolve too.”
“Extra?”
He reached out and put his hand on h
er knee, stilling her fingers, which were furiously plucking at the threads on the rip on her knee. “Stronger. Faster. Shifting more quickly with far fewer side effects.”
She was staring down at his hand when she asked, “What about the others? If you can read minds, what about the rest of your team?”
“Grayson can manipulate emotions by touch. Jett has the ability to create fire.”
“What about Mateo?” She glanced over at him and frowned. “Hey, put the fangs away. I only asked a question about the male.”
Drake took a deep breath and apologized for his reaction. “My cat is a little territorial when it comes to you.”
“Noted.” A small smile flexed her lips. “But I still want to know.”
“You’ve seen Mateo’s tattoos on his right arm?”
She nodded.
“He can heal with his touch. Only that hand has the power.”
“Why not the other?”
He shrugged. “Honestly, all of our powers are…” Unpredictable wasn’t the right word. “Unexpected.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, Mateo is a player who only cares about when he’ll get laid next. Him having the power to heal seems pretty wasteful.”
“How so?”
“Willingness to heal implies compassion, of which I’m not sure Mateo has.”
That seemed like a pretty accurate evaluation. “And Jett?”
“Jett’s a loose cannon. His abilities require great restraint and control, but he lets his emotions rule rather than his head.”
“And you?” she asked, her thumb rubbing over the knuckles of his hand. He kept his eyes on the road. If he drew attention to it, she’d make a big deal out of it.
“Me?” He smiled. “I might be the only one where it makes sense. I like control and order. Rearranging someone’s thoughts is as a controlled environment as you can get.”
“You haven’t told me about Sasha’s ability.”
His index finger tapped against the steering wheel. “Sasha has the gift of premonition.”
Neve stopped stroking for a moment, then resumed. “Premonition,” she started softly. “Like she can see the future?”