by Olivia Ash
She frowns. “I had a couple safehouses lined up.”
“That's not what I meant,” I say, a bit impatient as the night wears on.
“I know,” she begrudgingly answers.
I hesitate, something finally clicking for me, and my lips slowly part in disbelief as I study her face, wondering if it's true. I finally think I might know where this is going, but I almost can't believe it.
It's too big. Too dangerous. Too ambitious, even for her.
“Irena, you’re not—”
“I am,” she interrupts, her eyes closed as she waits for me to lose my mind. To yell at her and tell her to stop, even though I know she won’t.
I don’t even know where to begin. Maybe I’ll chain her to a bed somewhere, or just throw caution to the wind and lock her in a tower.
“You can’t be serious,” I snap. “It’s one thing to kill Zurie, but—Irena, you want to dismantle the Spectres entirely?”
At first, she doesn't move. She doesn't so much as breathe. But after a few moments, she slowly begins to nod her head. “I've been thinking about it for a while now, and up there, it just became so clear. There's no question in my mind. My purpose, my mission, the only thing left for me to do is shatter them from within. I'm the only one who can do it, Rory. I'm the only one with the knowledge and insight of their inner workings.”
She pauses and watches me, those intense green eyes studying my face, clearly wondering what I'm going to do.
If I'm going to try to stop her.
The sister in me wants to. The person who loves her and wants her to live a long life wants to beg for her to do anything else, to find a hobby or a boyfriend or anything at all that can occupy her time in a less self-destructive way.
But the fighter in me knows better.
“What's your plan?” I ask, tense and ready to discuss the little things, the details, anything at all that will help her stay alive a bit longer.
“I'll use their tech against them,” she answers instantly, and it’s clear this isn’t some half-baked guess.
She knows what she’s doing, and I have to admit that she is, in fact, the best person for this job.
I just wish it didn’t have to be her.
“It’s the best choice,” she continues. “Besides pure skill, the one thing that makes the Spectres so dangerous is our advanced weaponry. Technologically speaking, we’re the most advanced organization in the world, and I know everything about that tech. I know how it's made. I know where the resources are procured. I know it all.”
I frown, furrowing my brow. “How—”
“Before I reached out to the Vaer,” Irena interrupts, “I put aside a hoard of data and samples. I smuggled out everything. Prototypes, plans, resource lists, all of it. It was my backup plan in case things went south.” She hesitates, her eyes glossing over briefly as she loses herself in thought. “They sure as hell did, huh?”
“That's an understatement,” I agree with a small nod. “Why didn't you tell me about this? Why make me drag it out of you? You have all of the Spectre tech, all of their resources, but—”
“I know.” She lifts her hand to silence me as she interrupts me yet again. “I didn't tell you because I knew you'd want to be involved. To help. Rory, can't you see that everything I’ve done—everything I've sacrificed—has been to keep you safe? It was just better if you didn't know.”
My, doesn’t that sound familiar.
She and Jace both think in obnoxiously similar ways.
I shake my head, biting my lip to keep myself from saying something I'll regret. As the anger bubbles within me, I try to suppress the resentment of being kept in the dark yet again by someone I love.
“That's not how we do things anymore,” I say tensely. “Come with me.” I start down the stairs, expecting her to follow.
“Where are you going?” she asks dryly.
“To talk to the guys,” I say, pausing to look over my shoulder. “We're going to do this as a team, Irena. And that is not up for negotiation.”
The six of us sit in Jace's war room, everyone gathered around the table as Irena finishes her admittedly terse and impatient briefing on everything she and I discussed in the stairwell.
Whenever she left out a detail, I would fill it in, and she would shoot me an annoyed glare.
Tough shit.
She's got to learn one way or another that this is how we do it now, and she's too damn stubborn for me to give her any space on this.
In the silence that follows, Irena leans against the wall and glares slightly at me for making her share any of this at all.
I don't react.
“This is incredible,” Jace says as he takes it all in. “Absolutely incredible, Irena. The Fairfax dragons will, of course, manufacture anything you desire, and—“
“Hell no, you won't,” Drew says, interrupting. “I'll do it. I have a faster network, and I'm not confined to just the Fairfax loyalists. I work with everyone. Humans, dragons—the best of the best. I'll get it done faster and more efficiently.”
Jace impatiently snorts, glaring at Drew as he furrows his brow in contempt. “I'm not about to trust an unknown network that only you control to produce some of the most important technology on the planet.”
Drew laughs derisively. “Oh, but it's better if we give everything to the Fairfax dragons? Let you all control everything. Right.”
“Stop it,” I demand, glaring at the two of them. “Focus.”
Both men look at me briefly, each of them bristling with anger for the other, and I briefly wonder if a fistfight is going to break out in this room at any moment.
Deep down, I know it's not about the tech. They both want it, sure, but they’re more eager to have something to fight over.
For whatever reason, their feud is getting worse and worse with every passing day. Any chance they have to argue, they take it. Any chance they have to jump at each other's throats, they do.
I need them to cut it the hell out. We don't have time for this.
“If you guys don't get it together and compromise, Levi's going to get the manufacturing deal,” I say with a nod toward my ice dragon.
The former Vaer tracker laughs, leaning back in his chair. “Don't drag me into this, dear.”
I can't hide the small smirk that plays at the corner of my mouth at him calling my bluff. I look at him over my shoulder. “You were supposed to back me up on that.”
He laughs.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tucker sitting at the far edge of the table, somber and quiet as he stares at the grains of wood in the surface. My smile falls, and my heart twists for him. He's grieving more than he did when he thought his father might have died, and this kind of pain is almost worse. To have family live, but to be forced to disown them. To know they're bad for you and everything you love, like toxic waste that will poison the world if you let it stay around too long—and yet, to still fight that little, loyal piece of you that wants them to be worthy of redemption.
“While you two figure that out,” Irena says, jarring me from my thoughts, “I still have to reactivate some of my old contacts to see if the backups have been compromised or not. I need to ensure that no one betrayed me, and that everything I stored away is still there before we go get it. We’ll be exposed when we go to retrieve everything, so we can’t go in blind.”
“Why did you make it so difficult to recover?” Levi asks, tilting his head slightly in curiosity.
“Accessing the backups was never my primary plan,” Irena confesses. “Ideally, I would never have to retrieve it—and, just in case I left it, I wanted to make sure that nobody would accidentally stumble upon what I’d stowed away. I found an old storage facility in Oklahoma that has lifetime policies on their units and a security system with a broad overview of the entire facility, something that can let me assess risk before I go in. The location I picked was strategic and meant to ensure no one could ferry it away without me knowing—but, unfortunately, that also mean
s I’ll be exposed and visible when I go for it.”
I frown, crossing my arms as I glare at her.
She knows exactly what was wrong with that statement.
“Ugh,” she mutters. “Fine, when we go to get it.”
“Whatever you need, we'll make sure you have it,” Jace says, tapping his finger on the table for emphasis. “This is crucial tech, and we absolutely must ensure it's extracted safely. I'll make sure you have backup and air support, as well as whatever tactical support you may require. Just name it.”
Irena tilts her head in subtle surprise, silent as she watches him and waits for the catch. When he doesn't say anything, she frowns. “And what's the cost? What are you trying to strong-arm me into doing? Because I don’t give out favors to dragons,” she says with a slight wrinkle to her nose.
I groan, rubbing my temples in aggravation.
Jace hesitates briefly, glancing between Irena and me as he tries to figure out what my sister is really asking.
“There's no catch, Irena,” the dojo master finally says. “You're on our side. I'm going to support you and give you what you need because it helps all of us.” He gestures around the room, though I notice that he doesn't motion toward Drew.
Irena leans her knuckles against the table, watching the dojo master with an incredulous expression.
And that’s how you baffle a Spectre—show them loyalty.
Dumbfounded and shocked into silence, Irena seems utterly lost for words. She’s not used to dependable people. Hopefully with time, she will realize there are good people in the world she can trust.
“Thank you,” she eventually says.
And for the first time since she got here, it sounds genuine.
“Of course,” Jace says casually, missing the magnitude of the moment. “This is solid, and we’ll be ready to leave within twenty four hours. Irena, you check for leaks and compromised assets. Once you're sure it's safe to go in, we'll go with an army. In, out, and over. Our command center will survey the area with full tech and surveillance support to make sure that we can get in and out safely.” He rubs his hands together, like he can’t wait to get started. “Give me the address so that I can scope it too. I want to make sure my team's safe when we go in.”
A small smile plays at Irena’s lips, and it almost seems like something clicked for her. “All right,” she says softly, clearly impressed.
“We have a lot to do, guys. Let's get going.” Jace raps his knuckle against the table as he stands, heading for the door. As he passes behind me, he pauses and gently kisses me on the back of my head. My traitorous body leans toward him on its own, begging for more as the kiss leaves a lingering tingle of joy across my scalp. Before I can so much as say a word, however, Jace is gone—into the hallway and off to arrange a full-on military raid.
Drew grumbles under his breath as he stands. He casually walks toward me, and I glance up toward him as he nears.
My lips part as I begin to ask him what he’s up to, but before I can speak even one syllable, he grabs my jaw and presses his mouth roughly against mine.
It’s dominating and deep, radiating with tension and anger from his ongoing spat with Jace. The sensation of his strong fingers pressed against my jaw ignites a flurry of desire within me, and I lean in to him despite myself.
As much as I hate their feud, Drew is hot as hell when he's angry.
“Are you going to come and keep me company soon?” he asks under his breath, his intense eyes locked on me.
“You act like I never go,” I chide him gently.
He smirks. “I'm selfish.”
I chuckle. “Well, maybe if you asked nicely, I'd come more often.”
“I never ask nicely,” he answers. “That's what you love about me.”
He grins and walks off without another word, not giving me a chance to even reply before he's out the door.
If I'm being honest, there's a lot I love about Drew. But I figure it would inflate his ego if I told him.
Before I can so much as blink, Levi's beside me, silent as ever. It's still astonishing how he can sneak up on me, and I keep expecting to eventually learn how to pick up on his movements—but I just don’t.
He’s too good.
Levi tenderly brushes my arm, the skin of his knuckles grazing against my bicep as he smiles tenderly. Our connection opens, and a flood of devotion comes through, more enchanting and endearing than any kiss. The sensation swirls within me, filling me like sunlight, and I can't hide the smile that breaks across my face.
We'll talk later, he says through our connection.
With that, he walks out the door as well, leaving me and Tucker still sitting at the table. Irena, meanwhile, still leans against the nearby wall.
Tucker stands, lost as ever in his thoughts.
Quickly getting to my feet, I set my hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”
The soft question breaks through his brooding, and he tilts his head toward me. There’s a moment or two of hesitation, but he eventually nods.
“I'll leave you two alone,” Irena says, kicking off the wall and walking out the door, closing it behind her.
Tucker sighs. “Sorry if I seem distracted.”
I shrug. “I understand.”
“I know,” he says, watching me. “Look, Rory. I meant what I said. The Knights are killers, and you're my family. These guys are my family.” He nods toward the door, in the general direction of Levi, Drew, and Jace.
“I know, and it’s okay to grieve. Grief is a funny thing,” I say quietly, looking at the table as I sift through my thoughts, trying to piece together something that's been sitting in the back of my mind for a while. “It can come out of nowhere at any time, even when it seems like you should be completely happy.” I pause, looking at Tucker. “Your father's an ass, but I understand why this is hard.”
“My father might be alive, but he tried to kill you,” Tucker says calmly. His voice is stronger now, more certain than before. “My father tried to kill them,” he adds with another nod toward the door. “These men who I’ve come to see as brothers. So, as difficult as it may be, he's dead to me.” Tucker frowns, his jaw tensing as he really sits with the thought. “I'm sure of it, Rory. My father is dead to me, and if I see him again, I will kill him. I just need some time to work through that.”
“Take the time you need,” I say gently, setting my hand on his arm again.
He gives me a small smile and leans in, gently brushing his lips against mine as he kisses me lovingly. “You're the best, babe.”
I wink at him. “Oh, I know.”
He chuckles and gestures toward the hallway, letting me go in front of him. As we leave, I find Irena waiting nearby with her shoulder pressed against the wall, her arms crossed.
Huh. It would seem as though someone wants to have a little chat with me.
“I'll see you ladies later,” Tucker says, nodding toward us as he takes the hint and walks off in the other direction.
As he leaves, I can't help but watch his gorgeous figure retreat down the hallway. My eyes linger a little too long on his ass, and I lose myself briefly in the memory of his naked body getting out of bed earlier tonight.
Irena chuckles. “It's a treat to see how you and your men interact.”
I look over my shoulder at my sister. “Thanks. I appreciate you trusting them.”
“I don't,” she admits. “Not yet. But I think I can get there.”
I shrug. “That's really all I can ask.”
She nods, looking off briefly after Tucker. “It's good to know you'll be cared for when I'm gone.”
I frown, a pang of alarm ringing through my chest at her choice of words. “And what exactly do you mean by that?”
Irena tilts her head impatiently. “I can't destroy the Spectres from here, Rory. I'll eventually need to leave. No amount of stairwell stalking is going to stop me.”
I set my hands on my hips, ready to dig into her, ready to knock some sense into her and at least ma
ke her wait a little while.
But Irena kills my argument before I can even start by flashing me a brilliant smile.
She looks, well, happy.
“I'm proud of you, little sister,” she says quietly. “You have your purpose. Let me have mine.”
Ugh.
Unfair.
I pinch my eyes closed, and damn it all, that completely disarms me. My shoulders relax, and I just nod. As much as I want to fight it, to convince Irena to stay, she's right.
My sister is smart. Brilliant, actually, though I would probably never tell her that.
This purpose of hers, it's perfect. It works, and it makes sense.
I just hope it doesn't cost her life.
Chapter Twelve
As I wrap myself in my blankets, my head against the soft pillow, I smile and savor the silky sensation of the cool sheets. Even as dawn slowly breaks across the horizon and creeps through the gap in the curtains beside my bed, it’s nice to get some shut-eye.
Relaxing in the silence of my bedroom, finally alone and with a moment to myself, I hear the thundering clomp of heavy footsteps bolting up the stairwell and into the hallway.
Toward my room.
So much for getting a bit of much-needed sleep.
I groan and sit up, rubbing my eyes as the door to my suite opens, the hinges creaking slightly as whoever this is enters. I listen to the footsteps as they near, recognizing the gait instantly.
Tucker.
As my bedroom door creaks open, I chuckle. “Did you even try to be stealthy?”
He leans into the room, eyes wide with concern and his chest heaving as he struggles to catch his breath. One hand holds onto the doorknob and his other rests on the doorframe, like he can’t quite keep his balance.
“What's wrong?” I ask, frowning.
“Jace and Drew are going at it,” he says, his tone tense and urgent. “Drawing blood. Levi and I have already tried to stop them, but Drew nearly took my head off. We think only you can get them to back down. It's a full-on brawl, Rory.”