Sloan also glanced at Pam just as Duncan looked their way with a questioning look on his face. Sloan just shook his head before glancing back to Mitch. “We’ll do everything we can to help.”
“I know that, and it’s appreciated,” Mitch said, then sighed as he looked around. “Okay, time to get these kids back in the van. You can help with that.”
With everyone’s help, they had the kids and toys loaded up in record time. Sloan watched on as the vans pulled out before he thanked the extra Warriors who had kept watch over the compound.
“What’s going on?” Duncan said before Sloan could get back inside.
“Another kid found drained of blood, full of needle marks.” Sloan looked around to make sure no one else was close. “Pam placed the kid, Duncan. Mitch doesn’t want to tell her until she comes back to work.”
“Fuck!” Duncan cursed, his eyes dark with rage. “We need to stop this, Sloan. We need more help.”
Sloan nodded. “I know.” What else could he say? Nothing. He knew they needed help and actually…. He glanced at his watch. More was coming real soon. Following Duncan back inside, Sloan cut off toward his office. Walking inside, he turned quickly when the door shut behind him. Becky stood against the door with a sexy smile on her face.
“What are you doing?” Sloan’s eyes glanced over her body. The dress she wore was prim and proper, but it showed every curve he knew so well. “Where’s Frankie and Gracie?”
“I’m here to give you your Christmas present, Mr. Murphy.” She locked the door while throwing him a wink. “And they are occupied for the time being.”
He noticed a red ribbon around her neck and grinned. “Where’s my present?” he teased and chuckled when she frowned and pointed to the ribbon. “I’m kidding. No one gets my jokes.” He pulled her to him.
“’Cause they’re not funny.” She hissed as she bit his neck. “You can return it if you don’t like it.”
He grabbed her hand and placed it on his growing arousal. “There will be no returns on this present, ever.”
Everything for that moment was forgotten as Sloan, the boss man, got to enjoy the last moments of Christmas Eve with the woman who’d walked into his life and changed his world.
Chapter 17
As Bishop climbed the steps to the compound, he hoped he’d missed the kids and festivities. It wasn’t that he didn’t like kids; he did. But what he saw tonight put his mood into a dark place. Seeing a twelve-year-old vampire drained of blood for the greed of others made him want to lose his shit. Which he almost did when tracking down the foster parents who were responsible.
Walking inside, he knocked the snow off his boots and heard activity in the game room. He headed that way and saw what looked like a bomb had been set off in the room. Wrapping paper, boxes, plates, cups, and people were scattered everywhere.
“Rough night?” Bishop raised his eyebrows, glancing at his brother, Viktor, and then to… “Hey, what’s up, Santa?”
“Fuck you, Bishop.” Santa, who was lounged on the ground, growled at him.
“Damn, Jax? Is that you?” Bishop chuckled, shaking his head. What the fuck went on here tonight?
“Yeah, it’s me.” Jax struggled to stand. “Caroline forgot my clothes, so I can’t shift unless everyone here wants to see me naked.”
“Yep, hard pass on that,” Jared called out from the couch where he held Tessa on his lap. “Where the fuck have you been?”
Bishop glared at him. “Working. Not playing with toys, that’s for damn sure.”
“Dude, I’d have traded you.” Jared’s head popped up so he could look at Bishop. “Fucking kids wore my ass out. I’ll face a thousand rogue vampires before I do this shit again.”
“Oh, stop it.” Tessa smacked him on the chest lightly. “You loved every minute of it.”
Bishop chuckled at the look on Jared’s face. “Any trouble?”
“No,” Sid said with a shake of his head. “Sloan had this place pretty much on lockdown. Everything went smooth, but we were ready for anything. Nothing was going to ruin these kids’ fun.”
Bishop nodded, his gut tightening thinking of the child who was found tonight. He noticed Duncan heading his way. “Hey, man.” Bishop nodded, then glanced toward Pam. He already knew what Duncan was going to ask. “I won’t say anything. Mitch told me. I’ll let you and him handle that.”
“I appreciate that.” Duncan frowned, his eyes narrowing with anger. “You caught the fuckers who did it?”
“I did,” Bishop said, his anger matching Duncan’s. “And they will pay.”
Duncan slapped Bishop on the shoulder as he turned and walked toward Pam. He glanced at all the Warriors and was aware they knew what had happened.
“Okay, guys. It’s time to clean up.” Nicole stood slowly with a stretch and looked around with a frown. “It should only take us a couple of… days.”
“Not if I work my magic.” Bonnie grinned, glancing at Kira and Mira, who both nodded in exhaustion.
“Go for it.” Nicole sighed in relief as she sat back down heavily.
With a wave of her arm, the mess was cleaned up within a blink of an eye. “Can I hire you to clean my house?” Bishop asked, amazed at how witchcraft really worked.
“I’m pretty damn expensive,” Bonnie said without pause. “Fork out the money and I’ll clean it.”
Bishop chuckled as he went to grab a beer. Viktor stood by the bar with Lacey. “Merry Christmas, Bishop,” Lacey said, her voice soft and sweet.
“Merry Christmas, Lacey.” He winked at her, gaining a growl from Viktor. “How did his ugly ass end up with you? That in itself is a Christmas miracle.”
Luckily, he was fast and moved out of the way of his brother’s fist. Bishop headed toward where Daniel was holding a tablet in his hand.
“Hey, Bishop,” Daniel said without looking to see who stood behind him. The kid was very special.
“Hey, man.” Bishop grinned, leaning against the pool table. “You get that for Christmas?”
“Yeah, pretty cool, huh?” Daniel barely glanced at him before looking back down. “Do you know who Nostradamus is?”
Bishop nodded. “He predicted future events supposedly.” Bishop glanced at the tablet to see what Daniel was looking at and was surprised. The kid was reading stuff that was adult level.
“Do you think people thought he was a freak because he could see into the future, supposedly?” Daniel finally looked up at him with full attention. His eyes swirled, surprising Bishop even more.
“I’m sure some thought that, but that doesn’t mean that he was,” Bishop replied, having a feeling he knew exactly where this was going and why. “Some people think I’m a freak, but it doesn’t bother me because I know who I am.”
Daniel nodded in understanding and then focused on the doorway where Raven stood. “Watch this,” Daniel said, then leaned toward Bishop. “He’s going to give her approval to leave the Guardians.”
Bishop frowned, realizing that only Raven stood in the doorway until a shadow appeared. Charger stood next to her. She turned to look up at him.
“Ah, hey!” Steve called out, pointing at the mistletoe. “No one gets a pass. Kiss her or get your ass kicked by all of us.”
“He’s right,” Sid added.
Bishop looked down at Daniel, who glanced up at him with a smile. He once again turned his attention to Raven and Charger. Charger leaned down and kissed Raven on the lips, his hand cupping her cheek. The kiss deepened until Jared cleared his throat.
“Okay, man,” Jared’s voice growled. “Enough of that shit. Move away from the mistletoe.”
“I signed your transfer papers,” Charger said to Raven, then turned and left.
“Told ya,” Daniel’s voice said next to him. “Does that make me a freak?”
Bishop saw the disappointment and fear of the unknown wash across Raven’s face as she turned to stare at the direction Charger left before he looked down at Daniel.
“No, that doesn’t
make you a freak.” Bishop leaned down to stare at Daniel. “Can you do that all the time, or does it come and go?”
Daniel shrugged but frowned when he looked up from his tablet. “It’s coming more and more. Some of it I don’t want to see.”
“Like what?” Bishop asked, his eyes going to Duncan, who was watching and listening from a distance. Their eyes met in understanding. Duncan had already had a talk with Daniel about this, but he was letting someone else talk to his son too.
Daniel’s eyes went to Bonnie, who was talking with Jill and Steve. “Bad things.” He quickly looked away. “But some good things as well. There’s someone coming who can help, and more will follow.”
Bishop’s eyes followed Daniel’s direction again to see Sloan standing in the doorway with a stranger. He was tall with long black hair, his eyes as golden as his skin. He stood with purpose, his eyes meeting everyone without blinking. A Warrior for sure.
“I want everyone to meet Ryker,” Sloan announced as he walked further into the room. “Some of you assholes already know him. He just got transferred here from down further south.”
“Son of a bitch.” Sid stood, walking toward the man. “How in the hell have you been, Ryker? Shit, I figured some lady’s old man already killed your sorry ass.”
“I’m too good for that, Sinclair.” Ryker shook his hand and grinned as his eyes expertly moved around the room.
“Yeah, well, you just stay away from my mate, fucker,” Sid growled, but it didn’t have bite behind it. “’Cause I’m better than you.”
Ryker laughed, taking Sid’s words in stride. “Never would I, brother.” His eyes fell on Lana. “Although, you’re lucky you got that beautiful woman first.”
Bishop noticed Ryker’s gaze fell on Bonnie a little longer than was necessary before moving on. He didn’t like the feeling that just gave him. What the fuck!
“Yeah, you and he will have words,” Daniel whispered up at him, then took off out the room before Bishop could ask him what the hell that meant. He needed to fucking talk to Duncan more about Daniel’s abilities, which were off the charts.
As the man moved around the room for introduction, he stood in front of Bishop. His handshake was firm. “Bishop,” he introduced himself.
“Witch hunter.” Ryker nodded. “I’ve heard of you and your brother. Nice to finally meet the legends.”
Bonnie snorted, gaining everyone’s attention. “Legends?” She cocked her eyebrow at Ryker, then Bishop. “Well then, what does that make me since I’m a witch and still breathing.”
Ryker laughed, then bowed his head. “My mistake, my Bonnie witch.”
“Oh, nice play on words.” Bonnie chuckled before glancing at Bishop with wide eyes. “What? It’s true.”
“Damn, is it a requirement for all Warriors to be good-looking?” Jill sighed, gaining agreement from the women whose mates weren’t close. “I mean, I have yet to see an ugly one.”
“So, is he one of ours now?” Bonnie asked, but Bishop refused to answer that question even though he was aware she knew he heard her.
“I do believe so,” Jill answered with a laugh.
“Well, Merry Christmas to me,” Bonnie whispered as she left the room. Bishop’s eyes followed her until she disappeared.
Struggling with his feelings, he waited before he left the room. His shift was over for the night, so he was free to go. Stepping outside, he headed toward his bike, wondering why in the fuck he wanted to kill their new Warrior and why Bonnie’s sexy little “Merry Christmas to me” set fire to his desire to kill the new Warrior, Ryker.
Heading out of the gate, he cursed as snowflakes hit his face. Today was not his fucking day, and the quicker it ended, the fucking better. When he reached a red light, he glanced over to see the driver next to him in a Grinch costume. When the guy turned his way, Bishop gave him a fucking thumbs-up. Yeah, he was feeling real fucking grinchy, and he had a feeling a certain witch had everything to do with it. The light turned and Bishop took off, not caring what speed he was going.
“I need a fucking vacation,” he mumbled over the roar of his bike. “The sooner the fucking better.”
Seeing something out of the corner of his eye, Bishop slowed. A shadow of a man stalked a woman around the corner of a building.
“Fuck!” Bishop cursed, looking before he made a U-turn. Guess a vacation was going to have to wait. “Merry fucking Christmas to me,” he grumbled as he leap off his bike realizing he just muttered the same words Bonnie had said about the new warrior. Pissed off he stalked toward the creeping shadow determined to fuck up his Christmas to.
Also by Teresa Gabelman
Lee County Wolves
Forbidden Hunger (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #1
Forbidden Seduction (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #2
Forbidden Desire (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #3
Forbidden Temptation (Lee County Series) Book #4
Forbidden Secrets (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #5
(Lee County Wolves Series) Book #6 (Coming Soon)
The Protectors Series
Damon (The Protectors Series) Book #1
Jared (The Protectors Series) Book #2
Duncan (The Protectors Series) Book #3
Sid (The Protectors Series) Book #4
Adam (The Protectors Series) Book #5
Slade (The Protectors Series) Book #6
A Warrior Wedding (The Protectors Series) Book #7
Jax (The Protectors Series) Book #8
Sloan (The Protectors Series) Book #9
Blaze (The Protectors Series) Book #10
Invisible Warrior (The Protectors Series) Book #11
Ronan (The Protectors Series) Book #12
Viktor (The Protectors Series) Book #13
A Warrior Christmas (The Protectors Series) Book#14
Bishop (The Protectors Series) Book #15 (Coming Soon)
The Mates
Nicole (The Mate Series) Book #1
Tessa (The Mate Series) Book #2
Pam (The Mate Series) Book #3 (Coming Soon)
Other Books by Teresa Gabelman
Sanctuary (Stone’s Wolf Sanctuary) Book #1
Refuge (Stone’s Wolf Sanctuary) Book #2
Claiming Jade
The Enforcer
Blind Faith
Rodeo Romance
Karma’s Revenge
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A Warrior Christmas (The Protectors Series) Book #14 Page 10